Criminal Defense · Houston
Top Criminal Defense Lawyers in Houston
Criminal defense lawyers represent people under investigation or charged with offences, from traffic and misdemeanour matters to serious felonies. This list compares 38 criminal defense lawyers practising in Houston on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 14 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 38
- 24 verified licences
- 63%
- average years in practice
- 12
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
Samuel Kaplan
VerifiedAssociate
Merritt & Calder LLP36 yrs in practice4.9(16)FamilyCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Portuguese, Russian
- 2
Grace Yilmaz
VerifiedPartner
Merritt & Calder LLP20 yrs in practice4.8(10)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, French, Vietnamese
- 3
- 4
Sana Osei
VerifiedFounding Attorney
30 yrs in practice4.0(3)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Portuguese
- 5
- 6
- 7
Esther A. Yilmaz
Out of dateAssociate
Merritt & Calder LLP14 yrs in practice3.7(22)Criminal DefenseSpeaks English, Urdu
- 8
Victor A. Sorensen
VerifiedSenior Associate
Fairfax & Hale LLP34 yrs in practice4.2(18)EmploymentCriminal DefenseDivorce+1 moreSpeaks English, Hindi
- 9
- 10
Aisha L. Jansen
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Linden Law Group4 yrs in practice4.1(8)Criminal DefenseBusinessPersonal Injury - 11
- 12
Theo Vasquez
VerifiedAssociate
Calder & Brook LLP24 yrs in practice4.7(8)FamilyCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Tagalog
- 13
Jonah Patel
VerifiedAssociate
Merritt & Calder LLP14 yrs in practice4.6(19)Child CustodyCriminal DefenseEmployment+1 more - 14
Amara Nordstrom
VerifiedSenior Associate
Wyatt & Thorne LLP8 yrs in practice3.5(1)Criminal DefenseDivorceSpeaks English, Portuguese
- 15
- 16
- 17
Yasmin K. Fitzgerald
UnverifiedManaging Partner
Holt & Brook LLP28 yrs in practice3.1(9)Criminal DefenseBusiness - 18
Wei Rourke
VerifiedPartner
Calder Law Group25 yrs in practice4.5(1)DivorceChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 moreSpeaks English, Korean
- 19
- 20
Chloe Kaplan
VerifiedPartner
Calder Law Group11 yrs in practice4.6(6)Personal InjuryCriminal DefenseImmigrationSpeaks English, Hindi
- 21
Diego Adeyemi
VerifiedOf Counsel
Fairfax & Hale LLP32 yrs in practice4.1(18)EmploymentCriminal DefenseDivorceSpeaks English, Tagalog
- 22
Grace A. Okafor
VerifiedManaging Partner
Fairfax & Hale LLP4.7(3)Criminal DefenseFamilyImmigration+1 moreSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 23
Omar Byrne
UnverifiedFounding Attorney
Quill & Fairfax LLP18 yrs in practice4.6(12)Criminal DefenseBusiness - 24
Mateo Fitzgerald
VerifiedPrincipal Lawyer
Linden Law Group3.3(21)FamilyBusinessCriminal Defense+1 more - 25
Hannah Ashford
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Linden Law Group13 yrs in practice4.2(17)Real EstateCriminal DefenseImmigrationSpeaks English, French
How we rank
Each lawyer gets nine component scores from 0 to 100. The bar shows how many of the 100 available points each component contributed. Weights are fixed for every lawyer in this list and published in full; payment plays no part.
Expertise50%
- Credentials20%
- Relevant experience15%
- Specialization15%
Standing35%
- Verified reputation15%
- Professional recognition10%
- Relevant track record10%
Service & data15%
- Client experience5%
- Profile & data quality5%
- Data freshness5%
Houston legal resources
- State Bar of Texas
Find-a-lawyer directory with licence status.
- Houston Bar Association
Lawyer referral service and community programmes.
Choosing a criminal defense lawyer
Experience in the specific court and with the specific type of charge matters. Ask whether the lawyer has handled trials, not only plea negotiations, and whether they previously worked as a prosecutor or public defender. Contact a lawyer before speaking to investigators.
Frequently asked questions
Should I talk to the police without a lawyer?
You generally have the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present. It is usually wise to speak to a criminal defense lawyer before giving any statement.
What if I cannot afford a lawyer?
If you are charged with an offence that can lead to imprisonment, you may be entitled to a public defender or legal aid. Ask the court about eligibility.